Boy's Life on The Battlefield
by TheAltonboy
Summary: Rewrite of LIT. 14 year old Shinji Ikari wakes up in the middle of a field with nothing but a lighter, a pistol, and some pictures. Through fear and companionship, battle, victory, pain and loss, the raven haired boy will trudge through the gates of hell on a wild goose chase for the thing he desires most. He knows he has to find it, before his lunacy finally catches up to him.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** All copyrights belong to their respectful owners. I do not own Evangelion, or any related works, Evangelion belongs to Hideaki Anno and Studio Khara. I simply wish to entertain.

Hello everyone. I want to start by saying I deeply apologize for my silence. It wasn't fair of me as a writer to simply leave my last work. This story written below is the re-write of Less Interesting Things, you all remember? That story that some of you liked and that I kinda tossed around? Well, this is the final version, there will be no more "Yeah I'm gonna just not post anything and redo the whole damn thing without a word." I am proud of the work I have put into this story and I truly hope you all will enjoy it! Once again I truly am sorry that I haven't posted anything in a while. This first chapter is somewhat experimental in terms of witting style, so please review! All kinds of feedback are appreciated. I was inspired to transform LIT into Boy's Life because of Gregg Landsman's Nobody Dies and NGE: Campus Apocalypse. My thanks to you Gregg Landsman and Ming-Ming. I hope my work even registers compared to yours!

* * *

**Boy's Life on the Battlefield**

**Part I**

**_Chapter I:_**

Man is a creature that is truly fascinating.

With legs, he stands.

With arms, he reaches.

With eyes, he sees.

With mind, he thinks.

With lips, he speaks.

With air, he breathes.

With passion, he loves.

Not only, man is also unequally strong.

With tools, he builds.

With enemies, he wars.

With want, he wishes.

With dreams, he chases.

With fall, he rises.

With will, he does.

But man may also be cruel.

With few, he flees.

With many, he leads.

With lies, he deceives.

With knives, he thrusts.

With swords, he cuts.

Man is malleable. He is both were good and evil are, as well as where they meet. He is at the boundary of kind and cruel, the border of truthful and deceitful, he stands inside the light and sits by the shadow. Unflinchingly, however, Man is always where the strong are, regardless of circumstance.

With malice, he creeps.

With apathy, he neglects.

With power, he corrupts.

Whichever force that acts, it will overpower him. A negative quality to his abundant intrigue, but such is in his nature and cannot be helped. Good will always reside in the absence of evil, it is wherever Man stands that colors him. But it is because he stands in so many places, it is hard to picture exactly what color man truly is.

With Death, he weeps.

With loss, he grieves.

A strange color indeed, the color of both good and evil.

With life, he changes.

Man is also a social creature, he is made to live with many, but he may also live secluded, alone. A sad creature then, Man alone. However as man might change, he questions why. Why he does...

Why he reaches...

Why he stands...

Why he cowers...

Why he fights...

Why he weeps...

It is the pinnacle of Mans nature to question why, to place reason behind his actions. It is that part of man that separates him from a mindless beast, an ordinary animal. Something must drive him to do. It is true that Man's resolve can wither, his judgement muddied, and his perception fooled. But what cannot be changed about him is the force behind his actions, however withered, muddy, or foolish they may be. But what would become of him of he were to change himself? To end the fundamental part of Man that results in him being Man?

If Man were to lose the driving force behind him...

Then what would man do?

* * *

A cool morning fog creeps across his sensory boundaries. The solid, frigid ground alarming him as he was not where he laid down last. Eyes snap open, he bolts upright. Obsidian blue irises take in the scene before them. Scores of Cattails reach for the firmament above, towering over him. Tentatively, he stands. Instincts oxygenating his senses as he perceives the spread around him, the foliage continuing to blind.

The fair skin of his figure lays dull against the novel background. Shadowy black hair cascades into infinitesimal strands. The voluminous teal shirt he wears is soft and yielding, if yet a size too large. The garment exclaims many years of wear and attrition. He wears a tattered pair of Night-black sweatpants, slack and shapeless. He has no shoes, In protest his soles writhe against the sentiment of frostbite.

The heavens look as though they are about to weep. A dismal grey sweeps the sky in deliberate motion and indifference, apathetic to the witness below. He had lain himself down the previous night as a boy, of exhaustion, perhaps. Now, he stands a shivering, fair-framed victim of context in an outwardly endless stretch.

With no perceptive jeopardy, the boy relaxed, unbending his limbs from their defensive positions as to stand up strait and unencumbered. He looked to his hands, in each a weight. Gripped in his right, a glinting, silvery lighter. The grains of steel visible in its rounded box frame. In his left, a wallet filled thick, a sight foreign to the boy.

Slipping the lighter into his right pocket, his eyes remain fixated on the holder. Opening it anxiously, the folds of the leather stretch to accommodate themselves. Amidst the interior were bills, denizens of bills, one-thousands, five-thousands, and ten-thousands of yen, all in his hand.

A picture holder is clipped inside the wallet. Underneath the translucent material, the impressions of colors call out to him. There rest two slots for pictures, both filled.

The first picture, a younger girl. Feminine features were all but absent from her pictured visage, an oddity however, the girl. Brilliant cut, cyan hair glowed against the reddish-grey backdrop. With a piercing nature her eyes, a glimmering red, resonate with her hair in parallel. She possesses soft, velvet skin with an equally pale complexion. Her head is trained to her right.

The succeeding image, another girl, slightly older than her predecessor. She has long, flowing blond hair, with a tint of red, and a more angular face. The strawberry-blonde's bright blue eyes look not at, but into the boy who looked at them. She has a fair complexion, just lighter than his own. Her head is locked to her left.

He knows the images hold some significant value to him, yet he cannot discern it. The women hold some place special to him in his heart, but the boy has only their faces as an answer.

He shoves the wallet into his left pocket, a third weight makes itself known to him. Stinging cold brushes the skin of his leg. He looks down, a wooden handle protrudes from his waist. He grips it, the object is as hefty as it is heavy, evenly balanced. A feeling of equilibrium is established between the grip and his hand, as if it is commonplace for him, right, natural.

The morning light shines on the cool metal encased by the smooth wood, it is a gun. A sinister glint gleaming from the barrel. PYTHON .357 etched prominently on the side.

Eyes widen, followed by a sigh. Today was not going to be a normal day for Shinji Ikari.

_"Where am I?" _He asked himself. Nothing was familiar, even as the plant life receded. The grass on his feet was somewhat more comfortable than the bare dirt, but it did little to shake his fear. Shinji never did well in new places.

At last, a ray of hope, an answer! As the slope of the grassy knoll began to flatten, a road came into sight. On the horizon grey and white statures of steel and concrete stood high in the firmament. Four-wheeled machines lined the sides of the streets.

_"Cars? A road? A City!" _Mirthful at the auspicious scene, a smile crept onto the boys solemn face.

The distanced Skyscrapers reflect the sunlight peaking through the clouds, the warm rays light the intersection. The concrete is rough on his feet but he pushes the sensation out of his mind.

"Hello?" He calls out. "Is anyone there? Hello!"

The city is silent.

"H-Hello?" He calls again, a timid stutter. A cold breeze answers.

His airy mood is sullen once more. The automobiles that line the streets are empty, and the shops are closed. Suddenly, a thought creeps into Shinji's mind. The cool wind nips at the nape of his neck, as if it were seducing him.

A dangerous seduction, it abashes him. He should not have given away his position. Something is following him. He must leave.

A block afield danger still whispers in Shinj's ears. He starts walking a bit faster. Two blocks and still no change, it was just getting darker and colder. Any all spots in the clouds that would let light in have now closed, separating the two worlds. The heavenly, sun-lit world above, and the cold, dreadful world Shinji endures now.

His mind went blank, he forgot where he was. Several more blocks had passed and every building now looked almost identical. They were all massive towers of metal and glass, reaching up and scraping the sky. A primal, child-like feeling itched at him. Fear, the same, irrational beast from before. He began to lose it. Everything raced through his mind in a blur. His thoughts, his heart rate, the cool air, the unseen monster chasing him. His thoughts, his heart, the air, the monster. Thoughts, Heart, air, monster. Thoughts, heart, air, monster, the boy.

_"A boy?" _His thoughts stop, his heart skips a beat, the air softens and the monster disappears. A boy stands in the center of the intersection, equidistant from four skyscrapers. Ash-grey hair is the first thing Shinji notices. His black jacket slowly flaps in the breeze, his black pants and shoes almost make him a shadow. He looks fixated on a point above them. Before Shinji had realized, the boy had craned his neck down and shot a glance his way, their eyes meeting. Shinji's blue captivated by his red. They stand opposite of each other.

He mouths something unheard by Shinji, it makes him tense. A slight smile is on the others face, the ashen- haired teen squares himself, facing Shinji directly, then takes a step forward. The raven haired boy immediately steps back, his heart racing once more.

"S-Stay back..." He tries to menace the other, but the act goes as if unnoticed. The other is now mere feet away from him. He stands even taller than Shinji, his smile is still worn.

"Hey...I-I said stay back!" Shinji's voice projects more, but it is still a shaky threat. He pulls his Python out from his waistband to reinforce his command. The ashen boy steps closer, the feeling of his own air being sucked up by this black-suited aura-of-sanctity restrains him from attacking. The raven haired boy points his pistol at his on-comer, yet his wobbly impedance betrays Shinji's resolve. All he wanted to do was run, the boy had never been this terrified in his life. All he wished to do was run, but all he could do was tremble.

As he backed away from the suited boy he tripped over a fracture in the concrete, landing him on his rear. He straitened his arm, but it wobbled again. The ashen boy stopped his advance, gently leaning over, putting his index on the barrel of Shinji's weapon and swaying it away from him. Shinji was absolutely powerless. Something about this boy told him that he is not one to harm, but the raven's instincts screech at him, beseech him to kick the other away.

Their faces now linger only inches apart, heart beating in his ears, Shinji finds himself powerless.

The ashen boy smiles wider and chuckles, a warm, knowing chuckle. Suddenly the sound of tension flees Shinji's ears.

He swears this boy has some sort of talent for bending fear and happiness to his liking.

"Forgive me..." The suited boy says, in a soft, calming voice. "It has been a while since I last saw another person. When I heard you step towards me I... Well I got a little excited!"

He offers his hand, but Shinji still is not trusting. He rises by himself, eyes still locked, watching, praying for a reason to attack. He promises himself he will not let this boy simply walk through his defenses a second time.

The other laughs, trying to alleviate the tension. Shinji does nothing but breathe.

"By chance, might I have your name?"

"...What's your name?" Shinji attempts to maintain some semblance of strength in his inflection.

"My name is Kaworu, Kaworu Nagisa..." He said. "And you?"

"Kaworu..." Shinji repeated. "Kaworu...Of the seashore?"

"M hm." Kaworu replied.

Shinji hesitated. "...M-M name is...Shinji, Shinji Ikari."

Kaworu's smile grew even wider. A silence cut between them, neither of them were really sure what to say or do.

"Do you have anything you look up to?" Kaworu asks.

"...What do you mean?"

"Everyday, I like to come and... Look up at these buildings. They're a testament to mankind's achievements. Many people would say that they are nothing but erections of steel and concrete but, I find them sentimental." He pauses. "I think, I think they were kind in leaving something behind for us, to let us know how high they reached."

Shinji is silent.

"I think it was kind of them to give us a goal." Kaworu continues, looking up.

"You say they 'were', like people aren't still building, at least, I-I think that's what you mean." The raven answers. "Why do you talk like that?"

"There are no more people to continue building..." Kaworu replies.

A breeze.

"W-What does _that_ mean?"

"I mean that there is no-one who is alive to build. This city is empty."

Shinji's skin grows cold. This boy's words are nothing short of frightening. A pattern presents itself to the raven; happy, sad, happy sad happy sad. Where does it end for this boy, he asks?

"When I saw it was going to rain, I was afraid I wouldn't get to see them today." Kaworu starts. " Most of my day consists of acquiring food and firewood. I always go to sleep alone, perhaps it's a miracle of some sort? That you stumbled upon me?" He looks back at Shinji, still smiling ever wider.

"...Y-You're weird, you know that, right?" Shinji sighs, slipping his pistol back into his waistband, covering it with his shirt. Kaworu laughs again.

The mood sharpens again, Kaworu's smile withers and he shoves Shinji beside him. Before he can ask what he was doing, an earth-shattering **CRASH** splits their relaxation.

The force of impact causes the ashen teen to stumble a few steps back, a crater has formed in the asphalt were he was standing. In it, a man. Dressed in a black track suit with a navy-blue hue. Short brown hair and a equal temper shoot from the new comer like waves of heat from fire.

Without a word, the man charges from the crater, throwing a punch at Kaworu. A prick of surprise catches Kaworu off-guard. The man's right arm is encased in a metal vambrace, making it nearly twice the size of his left. The ashen-haired teen quickly ducks, dodging the lethal cuff. The attacker grunts and rears back his armored fist again, striking the ground and shaping another crater in the road. He looks up, Kaworu stands casually, as though he isn't worried in the least.

Shinji is back on his feet as well, but unsure of what to do.

_"Who is THIS guy? Just what the hell is going on?!" _He sweats.

"You two know each other!" The attacker shouts, a deeper, Okinawan accent. "Who are you two?"

"We just met! Perhaps today is my lucky day! The day I no longer sleep alone!" Kaworu replies.

The man's face screws into a scowl, one of confusion.

"I don't care 'bout yer weird love life! I just want what ya' got!" He shouts again.

"What do you want, exactly?" Kaworu asks, still no sign of fear apparent on his features.

"Food, water, whatever ya' got!"

"What if we don't have anything?"

"Then yer not worth anythin'!" He charges again, swinging madly at the black-suited boy. Kaworu dodges each of his attacker's blows with grace and ease, his eyes still half open, half closed as they were.

"God Damn it, ya bastard stand still!"

"As it stands between us I think it's better..." He cartwheels to his right, escaping another blow. His body fluidly rolling back into a standing position. "To stay animate..."

_"...What should I do?" _Shinji thinks. _"I don't know either of these guys, maybe I should stay out of it and see what they can do..." _

"I'm gettin' real tired o' yer hot crap attitude!" The brunette charged again, Kaworu readied himself. At the last moment, the attacker faked a shot to the gut, Kaworu jumped aside. Seizing the opportunity, the attacker continued charging for Shinji. The raven's eyes widen.

_"So much for staying out of it..." _He thinks sardonically. He reaches for his revolver and his hand makes it to the grip, but his attacker is too fast, he knows he wont make it.

"...Ah! OW!" The brunette stops in front of Shinji, clutching his head. He staggers back, is it another feint?

The attacker drops to his knees, his groans transforming into howls. Suddenly the blood-curdling cries cease and his head snaps up, eyes wide. Then he collapses, his gauntlet disappearing.

"Oh...Oh Jesus I did it. I really did it." A lighter voice rambles. Both Shinji and Kaworu glance at the side of the highway. On the side walk another boy is crouched by the wall of the building. He has curly blond hair and brown-framed glasses. He wears a red shirt underneath an un tucked white dress shirt, and black dress pants. Shinji can't help but be struck by its resemblance to a high school outfit.

"Are...D-Did you do that?" Shinji asked, surprise evident in his voice.

"I ah...Y-Yeah...Yep! That was all me! You'd better believe it, too!" He called.

Shinji, eyes still wide, steps forward.

"OH GOD PLEASE DON'T KILL ME I'M STILL A VIRGIN!"

This startles Shinji, if it did not make him laugh first.

"You just saved my life! Why would I want to kill you?" Shinji asked.

"O-Oh, y-your not...Gonna kill me?"

An awkward silence.

"I'm kind of new to this whole scenario to, so what's your name?" Shinji asks, offering his hand.

"I'm Kensuke, and you, maybe you can tell me what's going on?"

"My name is Shinji..." The raven answers, gesturing to himself. "And apparently...He isn't going to be sleeping alone anymore." He says, pointing to Kaworu.

* * *

Night settles in an hour later. The sky is black with rain clouds as the havens begin to weep, the droplets of tears from the perfect world above splash down slowly, one by one at first. A minute later, a few more at a time, finally a torrent so thick it appears as though the whole world beyond ones eyes is blue.

"Man...What luck huh? We came inside just as it started to rain..." Kensuke comments. The hiss of metal on metal echoes through the room as Kaworu pulls a curtain over the windows. He stops at Kensuke, a silent word that he wishes the blond would move. Kensuke obliges.

"Thank you for letting us stay with you, Nagisa." Shinji starts.

"You're welcome, Ikari." Kaworu replies.

"How old are you two?" Kensuke chimes in. "Don't you guys think we're being a little formal?"

"Well I don't know either of you, it just seems appropriate."

"I personally don't care, you can call me Kaworu." The ashen boy smiles.

"Oh. Thank you, Shinji is fine for me." The raven replies.

"So what are we going to do with him?" The blond points to the brunette.

His muscular frame burns its image in their eyes. It becomes clear that one blow would have easily silenced them.

"I mean, should we just wait 'till he wakes up?"

"He's got a point Kaworu. He said he only wants our provisions." Shinji continued. A pang of guild pricks at him. He is aware they cannot simply let him die in the cold.

"We will simply explain our situation to him when he wakes." Kaworu answers.

The room is an upscale, lavish main bedroom. The walls are painted a velvet red, white bead-board stretches two feet up the walls. A bed with matching quilts sits in the middle of the wall, piled high with pillows. On the side farthest from the three, there is a mound of cans and boxes. Six heaters are alined in a ring beside the bed, the cords lead out the door to a generator. The windows stretch across the forward wall, the curtain completely covers them, not a single beam of light peaks through either side of the cloth.

The brunette suddenly stirs, murmuring something, he falls silent again.

"Kensuke...What exactly did you do to him?" Kaworu speaks, the air in the room is so separated, it is silent while no one is speaking.

"...Funny you should ask, I'm not really sure." He laughs. "I've, always been able to do this...This thing for at least as long as I can remember."

The others lean in, curious.

"I-I can get in to peoples heads, literally!"

"How does it work? I mean how do you do it?" Shinji asks.

"Hell I...Never really thought about it!" Kensuke started. "I know that when I got inside his head..." He gestured to their attacker. "I...I imagined a wall. It wasn't so much me imagining it but more... More it just appearing when I needed it. I bent it, with my mind. I saw it bend and stretch all the way to his head. When I reached it things got bright, like light had filled up the tunnel I made with this bent wall. Anyway when the light hit him, it felt like my body stretched through the tube to. When I got to him, I could _hear_ his thoughts..."

Shinji's eyes widen, he's never heard of anything quite like Kensuke, it strikes him oddly. Like a curve-ball hitting the side of the catchers mitt at the fingers instead of in the center.

"If I close my eyes completely...I can actually_ see_ what they see. I can dig through their brains and figure out everything they know. I can plant thoughts in there head, I can have a silent conversation with them, or I can just listen."

"What about what you did to our attacker?"

"Well... The human brain only uses a small percent of it true capacity. You know when a though passes through your head and you can picture it? That's what I did, I just ran every thought I could think of through his head and blinded him with pictures." The blond explains. "I filled his head up with so much stuff it actually gave him a migraine. Then I just left him, I got rid of every though in him and cleared his head. For a split second the release he got from all that thinking must have felt so good it made him pass out."

The attacker stirs again, but again silences himself.

"Well... I think that..."

**SMACK! **Shinji is caught in the face by a foot, he rolls to his feet over his chair, the taste of mud is not appealing to him. Kensuke stands up and braces against the wall. The attacker kicks the heaters on their sides and charges Kaworu again.

"Thought y' did me in huh?" He shouts, grappling with the ashen-haired boy on the mattress. "Well I won't fall fer no trick like 'at a second time!"

An ear-splitting **BOOM **rings out, it deafens the occupants of the room. Kaworu finds himself no longer struggling as the weight slips off his body.

"SON. OF. A. BITCH!" The brunette exclaims. He clutches the back of his left thigh. A liquid as deep in color as the walls seeps through his fingers and drenches his clothes.

All eyes lock with Shinji. He stands prominently, a shiny tube of metal with a wooden grip as clasped in his hands, smoke lifting itself out of the barrel.

"You! You _shot_ me!" Cries the brunette.

"Look... I don't know who you are, and based on what you said, I don't think we should trust you." Shinji starts in a low, dangerous tone. "Frankly, I don't think I should trust any of you. I don't even know you other than your names." He continues, the tension in the air is thick, Kensuke is to the point of shaking, Kaworu looks as he did earlier, eyes wider but not fully opened in concern.

"But we need to stick together, it's the only way we even have a chance of surviving."

"Why should I trust any of you?!" Shinji's victim shouts. "I don't trust any of you anyway! That's why I charged your asses!"

"It's that, or we all split up, wander off and die in the rain. Shinji's got a point." Kaworu adds, catching his breath. "So why don't we calm down and get to know each other?"

Shinji, Kensuke, and Kaworu are all given their own hard glares before a sigh is heard. Kaworu crawls across the bed to the mound of food boxes. He opens up a chest next to the bed, from it, he produces a clear plastic box with a red plus on it.

"I'll patch you up while you tell us a little about yourself." Kaworu says in his soft, soothing voice. It reminds the brunette of a lisp rather than a calming voice. Shinji slips the weapon into his waistband, hidden again from sight. He walks over the the downed man, offering his hand.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that. I don't like to hurt people."

"Well what in god's name would make you shoot someone?" The brunette whimpers.

Shinji doesn't answer. Kaworu traverses the bed, reaching the brute.

"Name's Touji, Touji Suzuhara." Touji mutters. "I have lots o' bad experiences with strangers. In fact, last time I met with strangers, I got shot." He casts another glance at Shinji.

"That sucks, you've really been shot before?" Kensuke asks, Touji shoots him his own look.

An hour passes before the quartet is aware of it. The sounds outside indicate the rain has slowed and softened. Bottles of water are procured by Kaworu, as the other three express that they have no hunger. In truth this is a lie, as they do not trust a stranger to feed them. The effects of the night etch themselves on the minds of the four, as sleep begins to take hold. Kaworu hides himself under the red covers of the bed. Kensuke takes a quilt and rests himself at the foot of the bed. Touji remains stubborn and attempts to remain in the world of the waking, but to no avail. Slumber claims victory as the sandman takes hold of another. His snores echoing through the room.

Shinji is the last awake, he is afraid of what will happen if he sleeps. He takes a sip of the water, letting the cold splash against his cheeks, letting the life-giving fluid shock him awake. Silence, aside from the brunette's snoring, is the ruler of the room.

A soft sob is heard. The raven looks up. There is no one but himself awake.

_"I must be hearing things..."_

He sighs, today was indeed not a normal day.


	2. The Cannon and The Marksman

**Disclaimer:** All copyrights belong to their... Oh who am I kidding? You're not even reading this are you? Well, just to be safe, I do not own Evangelion, All copyrights belong to Hideaki Anno and Studio Khara.

I don't know if you guys care or not, but originally, Kaworu was supposed to be almost entirely mute for all of part I. More importantly I want to thank all of you guys that reviewed and followed. As before all reviews and comments are welcome! If you like this, you should really give Nobody Dies a read. Also, It's said in the disclaimer every time, but without Hideaki Anno, none of this would be possible. So help out Evangelion as much as you can! Buy the rebuilds and the mangas and what have you! Once again I hope you all enjoy this installment! I tried to lay off of the more creative writing, not entirely, but enough to where I don't think it's choking. Let me know what you guys think!

* * *

**Boy's Life on The Battlefield **

**Part I**

_**Chapter II: The Cannon and The Marksman**_

Darkness tapers out of the abode, strands of light slip beside the heavy curtains and brighten the wall behind the mattress. Red orbs peek out through a sliver, further hidden by the red quilt. Kaworu wakes, the light of morning melts the grip of slumber away from him.

"It appears as though I have not been ended in my sleep, as you predicted." Kaworu whispers.

"...I'm sorry. Did you say something? Kaworu?" Shinji's voice breaks his lull, engrossing him fully in the waking world.

"Yes. But I was talking to someone else..."

"Who? There's no one else here." The ashen adolescent situates himself upright, facing the raven.

"...I talk to myself." He replies, quietly. If only for a moment, the raven is sure that embarrassment is in the others voice. Shinji returns his gaze to the stack of heaters, the orange light they produce shows his eyes, they are glazed over and half open. "Just don't answer yourself, then you'll start to worry me." The raven quips.

"Ikari, how did you sleep?"

Shinji inhales.

"...I didn't really sleep at all..."

* * *

"Are you limping, Touji?"

"O'course I am! I _only_ got shot in the leg! Seriously Ken, what are ya', stupid 'er somethin'?"

"Well, Shinji did say he only meant for it to graze you, surely it cant still be that bad right?"

Kensuke earns a glare for himself. The two huddle outside the room, awaiting the others.

"Thank you, again, for the shoes Kaworu." Shinji remains in his chair, his belongings arranged in his lap. The silver of his lighter glints in the morning light, he flips it open, it is somehow more natural for him now. He pressures the wheel, softly at first, rolling it to and fro. Absent from his actions, he pressures harder, producing a satisfying click. The sound of metal wheel scrapping the flint. Once, the satisfying sound. Twice, the sound again. He adds a flick of the wrist to his actions, at last, a spark and a whoosh. Flame sits obediently inside the guard, awaiting its creators wishes.

He brings the top over the guard, closing it. His creation is extinguished, unseen by its creator. Shinji returns the lighter to his pocket. His wallet is still wide with currency.

Opening it, he immediately pulls out the pictures.

The strawberry blonde and the cyan princess, they continue to haunt him.

The blonde in particular catches Shinji by surprise. He is sure he has seen her before, but where? Why does this woman invade his thoughts?

He places the picture back in his wallet, the last thing in his lap is his weapon. The old revolver is cold on one side, warm on the other, to be expected after sleeping with it tucked in his waistband. Feeling the barrel, Shinji's mind begins to twist as he traces the lettering. Suddenly, Kaworu, Kensuke, and Touji are gone. The door to the room is shut and the windows let through darkness, as though it were night again.

P - Y

He looks at the weapon again, for less than a second, almost unnoticeable to the boy, a face twisted in agony rests in the space occupied by the revolver.

_"SON. OF. A. BITCH!" _A scream, he looks up but no one is there.

T - H

It hits him, it is Touji's scream. The scene from the previous night plays out in his mind.

O - N

_"Don't do anything you'll regret, Shinji..."_ A voice rings out, he blasts out of his chair, swiveling all directions for the location of the voice. It has no inflection, no sound, but it is heard. Guilt strikes him hard.

_"Oh god...What have I done?!"_

"Shinji?"

Reality snaps him out of his trance, he hasn't moved an inch, the others are still there, looking at him. Kaworu stands with his hand on the boy's shoulder, concern written on his features.

"Did you hear me? You were whispering something."

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

"I did not ask if you were fine."

Shinji blinked.

"Anyway, as I was saying..." Kaworu returns his focus to the others. "Today is normally the day I would scout for new territory, so as a precaution, we'll all be taking one of these." He tosses them each a small medical kit. "In the event one of us is hurt, we can help each other, or should we get separated, we have means to mend our own injuries." He finishes.

"What about looking for new shelters?" Kensuke blurts.

"I'm sorry?"

"You know, other hide-outs. More places to store our stuff, I mean it doesn't seem to bright to always stay in the same place, especially if we're gonna be here a while."

"Good thinking, I suppose we could search for one."

Shinji listens absently. He looks down at his pistol, he releases the cylinder, all of the tungsten darts are situated in their slots. He tilts the weapon upwards, the bullets fall into his open hand. Something is wrong, however.

"Asshole, are ya' comin'?" Touji barks. Shinji looks up, placing the fresh rounds back into the cylinder, clipping it shut again.

As he leaves, bringing the rear of the platoon, there are two empty casings on the ground instead of one.

* * *

The ground is wet from the torrential rains of the previous night. Puddles of water sit in bowls of the uneven landscape. Everything is a shade darker, inappropriately contrasting with the bright and promising sky, bright blue, one or two clouds. The water leaves its traces in the air, creating a chilling edge to the wind.

"Where exactly are we?" Kensuke asks.

"...I'm not sure. I've not navigated more than two or three blocks from our building."

"Really? Well how long have you been here?"

"Today marks the 29th day, I think."

_"Oh my god, poor guy! How sad do you have to be? The best thing you've got to do is count the days you've been in this dump?"_ The blond recoils. "I'm sorry, man. "

"It's not your fault, why should you apologize?" The ashen boy replies.

"I-I well... What should I say?"

"You shouldn't say something you don't mean. It often leads to confusion, and confusion always leads to trouble..."

Kensuke opens his mouth to speak, but words fail to convey his thoughts. He has been defeated. He eases of the subject, attempting to distract himself with...

...Something he likes, a hobby.

Something practical.

Something fun.

"No way!" The blond bellows.

"What?" Touji queries.

"Look!"

The three look up, forward lies a massive revolving door, elaborate and extravagant. A metal frame braces the scene, thorny vines reach up the brass artwork, flowers embellish the vines at every other spike. Sheltering the entrance, an even greater marquee, in no way as ornate as the door, obvious signs of repair and renovation extrude from behind the title. It is meant to be a neon sign, however the tubes are missing, the shadow of the lettering protrudes into the humid daylight.

"Under and Otherworldly: Straight from America?" Kensuke reads, he peers down to the marquee. It reads:

_** Ever wonder what it's like to shoot a REAL gun? Look no further! We have Guns a' Plenty! Straight from America! Gun Central! ** **Come on in, we'll fix you right**_** up!**

"Guys we gotta go in there."

"Forgive me Kensuke, but we do not. I have no need of a firearm." Kaworu's answer is strict and stern, unnatural with his soft voice.

"Are you kidding me? Who knows what's crawling around this city! We need something to put between us and them!"

"Anything worth fearing here will most likely be to strong to be taken down by mere firearms. The extra weight they carry will only encumber us." Kaworu replies.

"Well, any type of weapon is good to have in situations like this!"

Inside the door, a damp darkness takes over. It is nearly palpable, a void. It is strange however, to Shinji, he feels at home, this empty void is where he belongs. Passing by a row of two desks, the light thickens and forces the darkness to the corners. Everything is back lit, just enough to be seen.

A round rectangular counter reaches far back into the room. Across the aisles on either side, rest wooden walls, like those designed for a tool shed. On them rest grips and barrels and all manner of synthetic creations.

Weapons of all manners.

"Wow, they really have everything!" Kensuke is on the verge of drooling. Touji's interest is perked as well, his visage spread out in a smile. "So Americans really do like their guns huh?"

"Oh man without the Americans? We'd probably still settle things with katanas and cannons!" Kensuke replies. "Man, I've never even seen some of these in person! Glocks, Berretas, Five-Sevens, Remingtons, Mossbergs, Colts? Savage arms? Steyr? I thought they went out of business!"

"How come y'know so much 'bout guns, Ken?" Touji queries.

"I've been around guns all-my-life. For a while when I was a kid, I used to just go camping for a day or two and I'd take my dad's old assault rifle with me for target practice."

"'Cause ya know, that's completely normal." Touji scoffs.

The Brute and the blond carry on their conversation. traversing farther back into the depths of the showroom.

"I think he might be having a little too much fun over there." Shinji whispers. A slight smile on his face, he hasn't a clue as to why it is there. He feels as though he should be smiling. It is right to smile.

"Aaaaand I'll take one o' these and one o' these..." Touji picks up two pistols, one black and one silver, his babble wrecks Shinji's train of thought. "...And...Well I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to have one o' these." The brunette says, seizing a knife from behind the counter.

"Hey Shinji, you should pick up a thing or two here. I don't know how you're doing on ammo with that python, but another gun couldn't hurt right?" Kensuke calls from an aisle over.

"Oh c'mon Ken! Are ya' trying ta get me killed?" Touji bellows.

The raven looks up at the signs. Pistol section is written prominently on the signs. He looks at the table, small arms are out on display, papers with descriptions, dimensions, and histories are taped to the marble counter-top. The arm in question is sat on a slanted rise tilted towards Shinji. Boxes of ammunition and extra magazines lay behind it. Accessories are hooked on the wall. Lights, sights, lasers, clip pouches.

_"I guess it couldn't hurt, I am running pretty low."_ Inhaling, he picks up the weapon. It is comprised of a synthetic black, shimmering in the low light. There are no sharp corners on the slide, all points are rounded. The grip fits his fingers, but it is boxy and unnatural for his palm. He notices that it is much lighter than his revolver, but has no less heft.

"How about this one?" Shinji asks. The blond comes to inspect the raven's find. A small smile crosses his face.

"Good choice! It looks like a Glock? Hmm 19, nine millimeter..." He reads the data to himself. "If anything they're simple but stylish. Made with a polymer body and a titanium barrel, if you have to, you can fire this thing underwater." He finishes, releasing the clip, pulling back the slide expertly. He finishes his examination, nodding with his approval, he hands it back to Shinji.

The blond leaves to answer to Touji, curious to see if he has found anything else to his liking. Shinji hops over the counter, taking a holster from the wall and clipping it around his waist. He pics up all of the ammunition from underneath the accessories, eight boxes in total. Setting them on the table, he locates the clip pouches. Laying everything out in front of him, he carefully begins to play with his new possession. Waving it, pulling on the slide. He gently braces it with his thumb and forefinger, barely applying any force, testing it, getting used to it. He never once has been in possession of a weapon like this. Its function is similar to the python, he knows this, but it seems so new and so different.

"Hey four eyes! Whadya' make o' this?" The brute calls from across the floor.

"Well, it's a shotgun, Touji."

"I know that! What do ya know about it? Seein' as your the gun guy out of the four of us."

"Well, if it's the model I think it is, it has a shock-absorbing spring wrapped around the steel frame in the stock..." He points to the butt of the weapon. "With the rubber padding, there's little to no recoil. On a 12-Guage to boot!

"Well don't mind if I do!" Touji says, grabbing the weapon from its mount. Pumping the weapon, the smooth, invigorating _ching!_ filling his ears.

"Just be careful, shotguns are made for short range, at best you could only really hit something across the street at the far- farthest-Father pardon me for I have sinned!" Kensuke's eyes bulge behind his glasses. His heart nearly skips a beat. His voice climbs rapidly in its pitch, something similar to the squeal of a schoolgirl.

"I must be dreaming!"

"Whad'ya babblin' about now?" Touji demands.

"Loo-Look! That's a... Can it really be?"

"Can it really be a what?" Impatience sneaks into the brutes voice.

"The largest caliber rifle ever made..." He says, stepping up to the table. "The .950 JDJ..." The table is not like the reception desks at the front of the store, it is a decorative wood table, it looks as though it can hold hundreds of pounds.

"What's so special 'bout it?"

"Look at it! It's freaking _huge_! They only had like three of them up until the second impact. They were so powerful the U.S. almost dubbed it a class 3 destructive device, but the makers got a sporting exception to sell it to the public!" Kensuke explains. "But after Second Impact, the world nearly tore itself in two. We created all kinds of new weapons and strategies, as well as revived old ones. They used to be to heavy to hold and they used to have way too much kickback, something ludicrous like 200 pounds of free recoil!"

"No way, ye're full of it! If there was gun that strong, 'hey couldn't shoot it standin' up!" Touji answers. Loading shells into his new weapon.

"They used to not be able to, probably still can't." Four eyes replies. "They were made for stationary vantage points, like small cannons to answer breaching squads, small armored units and juggernaut divisions during hell's war."

The machine of Kensuke's dreams is to Shinji somewhere between a meter and a yard and a half long. The barrel is three times as thick as his pistol. Four eyes begins to inspect his find, as anxious as a child in a new candy store.

"Man, what a beauty..." He laments. "...So pretty, and so _powerful_. She needs a 30-pound muzzle break..." He brushes over a ring the width of his palm. He walks behind the table, reaching under the rifle, he attempts to pick it up.

"I think I wanna test it out!"

"What? Didn't ya just get done tellin' me that you can't shoot that thing standin' up?" Touji bellows.

"They were modified, they probably still kick like a mule so I'll rest on the table." The blond says, slowly picking up a round. Five magazines as long as his forearm rest beside the portable cannon. Be loads one into the underside of the rifle, chambering a round.

"Kensuke, I don't think that's a good..." Shinji is cut off by a blinding flash of light. The air whips away from his face, his ears scream in pain, his body ducking instinctively.

Due to the ringing in everyone's ears, the sound of Kensuke flying backward in a stack of boxes was unheard.

"Kensuke!" Shinji shouts, unable to hear his words. He runs over to his comrade, the blond sits in a pile of smashed cardboard, glasses elsewhere. His head is down.

"Kensuke! Kensuke can you hear me?" His body is limp, the raven fears the worst.

His terror is averted when four eyes bobs his head up, eyes wide.

"WHAT?"

"WHAT?" Touji shouts from across the room.

"WHAT?" Shinji can only see lips moving.

* * *

"Have you had you fill of guns yet?" Kaworu asks, not intrusively, but it was obvious, at least to Shinji that Kaworu was not having any sort of fun. The ashen boy is bored out of his mind.

Shinji exits the store with his stylish Nine-Millimeter. He has it holstered at the left side of his waist. Three magazine pouches are filled, clipped inside his back left pocket, two more beside his holster, a spare in each pocket as well. Touji is rather fond of his shotgun, slung over his back with six extra cartridges clipped on either side of the receiver. He pulls a satchel over his head, resting the strap underneath the weapon. The pouch is filled with more ammunition still. Kensuke, surprisingly, walked away with only the rifle, despite the criticism of the others, he insist that its 'ludicrous power' would come in handy.

"So...Thanks for that guys! Where to now?" The blond chips, content with their detour.

Shinji couldn't pay any less attention. He pays his heed elsewhere, when his blue orbs note a disturbance. The grey, white and blue of the drenched city part away at a sliver of pink. A girl about half his height stands frozen in front of him, not expecting to find him. She is trembling from what appears to be the most intense fear a girl her age could feel. Shinji is legitimately caught off guard. He contemplates his options. The others are still deciding on the four's next course of action, unaware that the raven is kneeling down to eye level with this girl.

"Hey...It's OK, what's wrong?" He asks quietly, attempting to soothe.

She doesn't answer.

"I won't hurt you, I promise. Look see?" He holds his hands aside him. "I promise I don't bite."

"I-I-I'm L-Looking for... M-My Caretaker..." She replies shakily.

"Well...What does she look like?"

'...W-Well...S-She has b-brown hair a-and b-brown eyes."

"What's your name? Hmm?" He asks. "I'm Shinji, maybe we can look for her? Together, what do you say?"

"..." Her disquisition shows.

"Shinji, step away from her." Kaworu commands.

The raven peers back, Kensuke's eyes are wide and Touji has his shotgun drawn.

"She's just a girl. What's the matter with you?" Shinji fires back, hiding his intimidation. "She's just lost, she could lead us to other people."

"I have already told you, this city is empty."

"How do you know that? You said yourself that this is the farthest you've ever been!"

"...You don't know who she is, she could get us into trouble."

"You're just daft. In any case, she's coming with us." Shinji says.

"Shinji...You can't be-"

"I can and I will, she's lost like we are and I won't leave her out to die." He stands. "That's final."

The ashen boy looks at his friend, he peers into his mind, silently pleading to himself the Shinji will realize his mistake. A full minute the group stands in silence.

"...As you wish..." He says reluctantly.

The others relax, Shinji returns his gaze to the girl, whom is still frightened.

"See? I told you I wouldn't hurt you. My friends are just a little scarred too, that's all!" He speaks gently. It works, she seems so stabilize, a small, barely noticeable smile appears on her face.

"M-My name, my name m-mister Shinji, i-is S-Shamshel."

The tension dissipates. Unseen, Kaworu shivers as the name echoes to the group.

_"Shinji, I pictured you wiser than this." _

* * *

The quintet have traveled the city for an hour, not a soul has been in sight. Kaworu, Kensuke and Touji keep their distance a few feet back from Shinji, whom walks ahead with Shamshel. The girl's demeanor has visibly relaxed, but she is still shaky in her speech.

"How long have you known this woman, your caretaker?" Shinji pans down.

"F-For as long as I c-can remember..."

"Is she a good caretaker?"

"...I...I think she l-loves me, maybe..."

"Well, I'd think your lucky. Not everyone has someone to love or care for them."

"Do you...Do y-you think we'll find her?" She asks, the raven pans down, smiling.

"You can bet your life on it!"

They walk, scouting for any sign of shelter. The buildings do not vary horridly, most are greyish or a stained mustard color. They must be towards the outer side of the city, he thinks, as the structures are losing height as they walk. Shinji cannot help his smothering feeling, an emotion that pains him as though he is walking on eggshells, a pain that he is not with a group, but alone.

Except for Shamshel.

Something signifies that the trust he has placed in this lost young girl is indeed well-placed. He isn't sure why. As his friends do, he too had the initial thoughts and pangs of danger, but he has grown past them.

_"They're just scarred, we're all scared. We have no idea why were here or what is going on..."_

The grey of the buildings is noticeably darker, a bluish grey. A dirt ground and gravel path lead the way to shipping containers and waste collection trucks, piles of steel girders lay neatly stack on top of each other. Aside, a concrete structure, level walkways and horrid door color schemes. An elder apartment building stands in the sunlight.

"A construction yard?" Shinji speaks absently.

"Looks like they were in the middle of tearing it down." Kensuke answers. " Lets go inside, there might be some food or something..."

The raven cannot take his eyes of of the fifth floor. Something magnetic in personality hold him. Perhaps it was the woman standing there.

Or perhaps it was the deafening flash.

The men are blinded by light and tossed to the ground like rag-dolls, pinkish fire spits everywhere. The ringing in their ears is just as welcome as it was at the gun shop.

"Oh hell, I missed. We'll call it a warning shot, how about that?" An unfamiliar voice. Robust, mature, feminine, but with a strong, commanding edge. Brown hair reaches down to her shoulders, she wears a brown cotton jacket with a fur inside. Black leather pants and boots, tightened by loose straps. His amaurosis leaves him quickly, the raven looks up.

"Shamshel! Where have you been? Get over here!" Shinji's eyes widen, turning to the girl. Shamshel hesitates for a moment.

"I...I'm s-sorry...M-Mister Shinji...S-She can be mean s-sometimes...I really didn't mean f-for you to get h-hurt...!"

Shinji is dumbfounded. He has made a mistake.

A _dreadful _mistake.

Shamshel heads towards her caretaker.

"Get up!" Touji's muffled voice comes to his ears, slowly clearing up. The sounds of cackling fires fill his ears.

"Get up!"

Kaworu shouts something that is unclear to Shinji. As he rises to his knees, he sees the ashen haired boy charge the woman. A golden sword in-hand, a wide surface and a thin edge. He jumps at the caretaker, but he is thrown back, a field of light in a hexagonal pattern appears where the boy struck with a loud _Cling!_

"Strong as ever, Ramiel..." Kaworu growls.

"Good to see you again to, puppet boy!" Ramiel chimes back.

"Watch yourself, Suzuhara. Her A.T. field is strong enough to be seen. You know what happened last time."

"Yeah yeah, lets just get this over with!" The brute's arms flex, vambraces of green and gold appear over both of his forearms. Touji charges in unison with Kaworu. As Touji meets Ramiel face to face, he ducks and Kaworu hops over him, stabbing at the brunette. She steps back, as worried as Kaworu was against Touji. The boys now stand reared on either of the woman's forward flanks, They throw all of their weight into their blows, Kaworu swinging a wide, level blow from the left. Touji twists a grinding punch from the right. They seem so promising but they are halted again by the woman's A.T. Field.

"Too slow boys!" She hollers, watching them stagger back from the recoil of their own blows. Her eyes begin to glow a dangerous violet color. Another flash, a small beam, long and slender, bridges the distance between Ramiel and Shinji in less than a second.

The sound of a car crashing echoes through his mind, he does the only thing he knows how to do. He throws up his arms in defense.

_CLING!_

It takes him a second, he looks up. An octagonal field nearly identical to Ramiel's is poised in front of him. Somewhat transparent, he can see the blurred image behind the field. The Octagons, thin as paper are outstretching, moving from the center to the edge, a wave of blurring color pulses from the center.

"Ah so you all have A.T fields, then? That's a surprise! No biggie though, you'll all get your turns. I've gotta pace this out is all!" She says. Grabbing Shamshel, wind rushes out from underneath her, a blur and she is airborne. The two fly back onto a storage container.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting _CRACK _shakes the ground, the air whips away from the boy's faces. Ramiel sees in slow motion as the bullet, the length and half the width of a forearm speeds by her chin, singing her bangs. She steps back in surprise, turning to her right, Kensuke is behind his .950 JDJ, attempting not to fall.

"See? I can handle it standing up!"

"Kensuke! Down!" Kaworu hurdles over to the blond, tackling him. Kaworu rolls them away, just as another beam is fired.

"Wow, I didn't think the Lilin could conjure up such dangerous toys! That would'a hurt if that had hit! Where are your manners?"

"M-Ms. Ramiel Please! T-These boys, t-they helped me! Please d-don't hurt them!" Shamshel's pink hair had fallen down over her eyes, they are stuck to her face by tears.

"Shamshel, what did I say? The Lilin are nothing but trouble! Bugs, they stole our world from us! They musn't be trusted!" Ramiel scolds.

Kensuke charges the bolt again, firing a second round. Ramiel holds up her hand, her A.T field appears, the bullet explodes into a thousand sparkling pieces.

"Fool! I am God's Cannon! Mere toys cannot harm me!"

"Ken! She's right! Guns 'r useless! against 'er!" Touji Shouts, charging swinging another punch, the now-familiar cling of Ramiel's A.T field is causing a ring in Shinji's ears. The scene from the previous night plays out in his head, the women in the pictures.

_"IF YOU WANT ME SO BAD, MAN UP AND DO SOMETHING YOU FILTHY. FUCKING. MONSTER!" _

**BOOM!**

The sound of shattering glass silences the crowd as a beam of light etches itself into existence. Dark purple with a hint of red, it pokes through the field separating Ramiel from the rest of them, it pierces her shoulder. The woman is dumbfounded. All follow the beam, tracing the path it has made. They follow it to Shinji, whom is down on one knee, holding something.

A pistol, but unlike any he has in his arsenal. A silvery barrel about the length of his hand. A rounded grip with an octagonal pattern, there are two hammers instead of one. They are gear cogs, one at the top, and the other is one turn from the thumb guard.

The beam dissipates, blood drips from Ramiel's now open shoulder. Horror written on her features.

"Y-You wounded me." She begins to smile wickedly. "You win my respect! I'll be back, but not for you puppet boy, I'll be back for you." Her gaze idles at the raven. "The marksman, the gunslinger." She lifts up into the sky with Shamshel. A blink and the two are gone, aside from the dying embers she left there was no trace a battle had ever occurred.

Shinji's weapon bursts into purple flames, they consume the gun and it to vanishes. A new pain originates at his head and he lowers himself, clutching his ears.

"Shinji!" Kensuke drops his rifle, hurrying over to the other boy. "Shinji! Shinji are you alright?"

The raven can only sputter out moans of pain. A thought pops into four-eyes' mind. He touches his fingers to Shinji's temple, and his wall appears. It bends to Shinji, filling with light. Closing his eyes, Kensuke now sees what the Raven does.

Dancing colors, the most massive of migraines a human could encumber. He sees it, himself stepping into Shinji's body. The other's brain relaxing, he forces the euphoria upon him. The colors, with time, recede.

"Better?" Kensuke opens his eyes, pulling Shinji to his feet. He is answered with sweat and heavy breathing.

"I'll take it as a yes. Now..." He peers over. Towards Kaworu. "Should I go one by one or just list off?"

Kaworu blinks.

"What was that? Who was that? What was that about? What is going on?!"

* * *

The afternoon creeps by. The four find themselves at a hill outside of the cityscape. They have passed stores and homes where they have taken supplies, most notably, two tents, which are now pitched, a fire going a few feet away.

"Forgive me, I thought they were long gone. That is why I did not mention them." Kaworu begins solemnly.

"Just run it by me again, who exactly was she?" Shinji inquires.

"She is part of a race called the Angels. They are beings of unimaginable power."

"And they're hellbent on our eradication?" Kensuke chimes in.

"They are under the impression that humanity as a whole 'stole' the world which was claimed by them."

"So it's some sort of deranged turf war?" Shinji bellows, rubbing his hands over the flames.

"Not exactly. You see, there are, different factions of the Angels. Ramiel, the angel we saw today, is of the ones who seek to destroy humanity, pure and simple."

"You're saying that there are some who _like _us?" The raven sits back.

"A select few, I have only ever seen one like that."

"Hang on..." Kensuke stands. "How many are there?"

"No one knows."

"Then, they could just be loitering around the city? Waiting to snatch us up and...And...Do whatever it is they do to us?"

"I suppose?"

"What are ya' gettin' at Ken?" Touji asks.

"We need to think about long term survival! I mean, we need to start acting like a four-man army! What are their numbers? How do they think? What kind of structure do they have..."

"Well. I do know that the angels operate under a hierarchy. They have three levels." The ashen teen pauses.

"Do tell!" The blond gestures.

"The lowest rank is that of a messenger. Messengers are bound by the laws of organisms that can survive here on Earth. They are adapted for a specific ecosystem."

"They are like animals, then." Shinji says quietly.

"The second rank is that of Archangels. They can be acquainted to that of a commander in a military. They have at least one messenger underneath them, but they don't have to share anything in common." Kaworu continues. "Ramiel is an Archangel and we all know how powerful she is."

"Then how strong are you Shinji?" Kensuke asks. "You actually got past her defenses and hurt her! You could be our chance for survival!"

"I-I don't know about that." Shinji responds. "What is the final level?"

"The last and highest rank of the Angels known, are the Apostles, the pieces of their 'god.' All of the ranks are symbolic to something their god would use. Ramiel calls herself 'God's Cannon' The Apostles are literally aspects of god. Most frighteningly, they are _not _ bound by the laws of nature."

"Wha'dya mean?" Touji leans in. "So the Apostles, they can just, make their own rules?"

"Yes. I have seen a grand total of one Apostle in my life, one too many."

"What happened?" Shinji asks.

"...I was terrified. More than I can describe. I was swept away without ever being able to conceive an attack."

"I-I'm sorry." The raven swallowed. Such a power was unfathomable to him.

"It is fine. There is however good news about the Apostles. There are only six of them."

"That's great! What are they?"

"It has been written that the six Apostles are and always shall be the Light of God, Arael. The Mind of God, Arismiral. The Will of God, Iruel. The Jaws of God, Leliel. and the Arm of God, Zeruel. Finally, the Body of God, Tabris."

"This is all pretty biblical-sounding. What does all this mean?" Four-Eyes sits down again, eating a piece of dried steak.

"It goes back to the factions. The ones that wish to destroy us think that their God wants them to retake his Earth. Others actually wish to co-exist with us."

"You have to take it from our perspective though, this is just a bit much to take in so suddenly!"

The conversation fades from his mind, an hour has passed and he finds himself leaving his seat. It is dark but clear.

"I never pictured you as much of a stargazer." Shinji says.

"I'm surprised yer not, you seem like the type to..." The brute responds.

"I guess that's because, I never really found anything up there."

"Hm." Touji grunts.

"Look, if it means anything, I jumped the gun last night."

Touji turns.

"No pun intended."

The brunet laughs.

"It's all good, I mean, I was angry but, I understand why ya did what ya did."

"Well, that's just it. I-I won't feel right unless you pay me back..."

"You arn't lookin' for me t' shoot you are ya'?"

"Uh well n-"

Pow. Touji's knuckles were blunt and connected hard. The punch met Shinji's right cheek, knocking him on his side.

"There, I'm no good at talkin' things out, we're men right? So, even?"

"...Even."

"You guys!" Kensuke called from the tent.

"What?"

"We need to decide who's keeping watch!"

"What?"

"We need someone to stay up and guard the camp." The blond says, running up to the two.

"Well, who should it be?" Shinji queries, rubbing his cheek.

"I think it should be me."

"You'd just fall asleep!" Touji bellows. "I should be the guy ta' do it."

"You tried to mug us! Why should we trust you?"

"Hey now, that's a' damn broad statement. I call it competitive survival!"

It is decided that Kaworu will be the one on watch. In time the decision is quietly solidified, no opposition. It must be well into midnight, Kaworu thinks.

"How long did Cap'n say we were gonna be here?" Touji whispers, taking a seat next to the swordsman at the ashes.

"She said it would be sometime, a few weeks. It is quite fortunate, we will have our go at the Commander and a chance to thin out the Angels." His red eyes close. "We may have been to loose today, Suzuhara."

"What?"

"I do not know if any of them are aware, but we inadvertently referenced the fact that we know each other. The entire point of this plan is to use Shinji to get at the Commander. If we lose him..."

"_Then all bets are off, you cannot lose Ikari Unit Six, Unit Three."_

"...Understood, Captain."

In the midnight darkness, even if the duo had been looking at Kensuke's tent, they would not have noticed his zipper up, nor him lain forward, fingers to temples. Even in broad daylight it is impossible to see the Blond's talent.

He narrows his eyes. Something, everything about the ashen swordsman and he brute is not right.

_"Never say anything you don't mean. What have we gotten ourselves into, Shinji?"_


End file.
